Shooting a drone w/ muzzleloader?

[Danny Ross]

If it is flying below tree top level and the suspicion is herding wildlife. Call the Game Warden. I don't know of a state where it is legal to herd wildlife with the use of a mechanical device. Being below tree top level the drone would have to be within visual sight of the operator, so it doesn't run into trees.

Someone mentioned using a hawk to attack it. Somewhere I read where eagles have attacked them. Get a pet eagle :wink: and claim to be native american. DANNY

 

[necchi]

Those things can cost $1,000 of dollars,
Our local Sheriff's dept has them now and just recently used it to find a lost in the woods 4yr old and her dog, then a week later found a fugitive hiding in a swamp.
I think they spent about 10K getting the high-end unit and training to use it.
Point is, make sure it doen't belong to the local LEO before ya blast away at it.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Someone mentioned using a hawk to attack it. Somewhere I read where eagles have attacked them. Get a pet eagle :wink: and claim to be native american. DANNY

Get a pair of scissor tail flycatchers...seen them take out RC control model planes...and everything from red wing blackbirds to turkey vultures and hawks. Those little guys will defend their airspace from anything...they don't care how big or noisy!
https://cdn.birdwatchingdaily.com/2013/06/caracara-flycatcher-ramirez.jpg
http://a4.pbase.com/o2/50/820250/1/123988836.1bnagaa9.410_1501a.jpg

 

[don hepler]

I fly RC aircraft, but no drones. However, a drone over .55 lbs. must be have a registered FAA number. According to FAA, that weight is approximately the weight of two sticks of butter. Their words, not mine.

Most toy, or small foam drones would not be under regulation.

Other than that, I do not know what regulations, would apply.

I'll do some research.

 

[don hepler]

If the drone, that you saw, was under the regulations of the FAA, then the operator would have to be able to visually see it.

If it was under the limit size, it may have been flown from electronic viewing device and possibly be legal, depending on local or state laws. Not really sure on this type of drone.

 

[Skychief]

I haven't seen it. Been on the lookout though.

A buddy and I shot a couple blackpowder bunnies in front of his beagle today. We kept our eyes peeled skyward, but no craft were spotted.

Of course, had any been seen, we would not have molested them. I promise. :nono: :nono:

 

[Boomerang]

Hey if you use your muzzleloader, at least you would have a good smoke screen! :grin:

 

[zimmerstutzen]

The law has changed drasticly in the past twenty years. Defended a guy that shot an RC plane out of the sky. He was charged with malicious destruction of property. BUT, he had a sign up at the property line between him and the RC club grounds saying no flying over the farm fields and pastures. This incident happened during lambing season and the idiots at the RC club were using their expensive toys to chase the sheep across the pasture. My client had called the state police several times about the Rc club members and the police did nothing. However, PA HAD at the time a different set of court rulings that gave the property owner a self help right to remove trespassing tree limbs and objects. The only exceptions listed by the court were for commercial air traffic. However, PA does have an aeronautical trespass law, which makes it a crime to fly so low that it causes damage or interferes with the use of the surface.

The problem with shooting them down, is most people do not own enough property that the bullet or shot is contained on that property when it comes down. Hence the cops charging the shooter with reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm in a city, etc.

I heard a rumor of an enterprising person who built a hand held device to jam the RC signals and bring down drones. Very illegal under FCC regs. Then if you accidentally step on it....

The former law, has been crapped all over upon by the FAA in recognizing drones for civilian and commercial use. Heck, the high power transmission lines were inspected by helicopter in years gone by. Now they are inspected by large drones. Real estate agents use drones to create videos of houses and yards and neighborhoods for their houses for sale. Amazon keeps threatening to use them for deliveries. I know of one landowner that used one to capture pictures and information enough to ID of a trespasser he had been trying to catch for ages. I went to high school with a politician who now uses one to show lots and buildings that are coming up for industrial development loans and redevelopment grants etc. She does this as part of her consideration of the project and to show as reasoning for why she approves or disapproves the plan. We have come a long long way from me trying to figure out how to get a picture of my parents house with an Kodak instamatic tied to a kite.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Well at COSTCO they are selling "Aerial Camera Bundles" for a little more than $1000, and they are listed as having a four mile transmission range for their camera, and a weight of 1.65 lbs. They don't tell the buyer they need to be FAA certified. One of my closest friends is a professional drone photographer, and has several FAA ratings, though his drones are rather large and heavy.

I'll bet the guy illegally scouting your land for game and pushing it his way, or the guy using the drone to look for LEO's creeping up on his pot field isn't getting his FAA credentials. :wink:

LD

 

[csitas]

I fly all kinds of model aircraft. One thing I'll tell you is, forget the signal jambing , it won't work.Radios use a frequencey hopping system now. That's why you don't need a different radio to fly side by side any more. Very recently the FFA has come out with new mandates, and it is'nt much. One instance I remember hearing about is a judge said that you own the air above and around your property. I'm quite sure in this case he threw the drone driver out of court.This occured less than two years ago.I would say ,use the 3 s's.Funny thing , this debate goes way back into the 1500 hundreds. For sure , it's not new.

 

[Heelerau]

I will not tolerate them over our farm, and a good charge of no 4 shot sorts them. Mores the point, its like dealing with dogs harassing stock, the dog disappears and you say nothing to anybody, same thing with regard to drones. Did not see or hear a thing !! and dig a deep hole.

 

[azmntman]

:grin: :thumbsup:

 

[Jimbo47]

Did not see or hear a thing !! and dig a deep hole.

Drone?....What's a drone? :idunno:

 

[nhmoose]

If you have to ask if you may use a muzzleloader go home hide call the police.

That is all you are qualified to do. Sorry but that is it.

I'm not gonna ask, call the police, or hide :nono:

Then be smart enough to SFTU and SSS need instructions don't.

 

[Martino23]

The 3 S's don't work if the drone owner has a picture of you with the shotgun pointed at his drone.

I am an ATP pilot. I think the FAA is still learning how to manage drones. My son has a "drone license", and it looks just like mine.

There are many commercial applications for drones, and their usage is only going to increase. In 20-30 years or maybe less, cargo planes will be flown as drones. Fortunately, I will retire before then.

My son was taught very specific rules about where he can and cannot fly his drone. He is respectful about his, as we live near an airport, and he does not want to lose his license. He also does not want to lose the source of his college funding. :wink:

I think part of the problem is people who get a drone for Christmas, and fly it without a license or any regard for the rules. This is caused by how inexpensive drones have gotten, so anyone can buy one for a toy.

I am certainly not defending them. I believe that a drone over my house, close enough to take photos of my property, should be shot down, and there should be no recourse against the person who's privacy was violated.

In my neighborhood, if I shoot a gun, I will be fined by the HOA. However, I would call the FAA, and they would respond quickly to a drone being flown too close to an airport.

 

[smoothshooter]

I personally love the idea of shooting down drones.

However, one must be aware that shooting a drone might get the shooter on a " Gun Crime Offender " list, of sorts, and cause them to be barred from firearm posession in the not too distant future, as the Left is always trying to add to the list new groups of " prohibitted persons " who cannot be allowed to have firearms.

 

[will5a1]

Why in the world would I shoot at male bees?

 

[Griz44Mag]

I took one down that was hovering at window height in my backyard. This is plain and simple, peeping Tom. I did not shoot it, but knocked it down with a bull whip. Left it in the back yard to see if the punk would try to come get it. That would have been a trespassing in the night charge, a felony here. By the time the Blue Healer was done "playing" with it, it was for sure never going to fly again.
I returned it the next morning to the punks father, along with a warning. We never had anymore issues.
I have not seen a drone in the area since then.
My opinion? If the machine is being used in an illegal or immoral manner, it's fair game. Those being used to harass hunters, game animals or livestock, need to be arrested and charged.
These are tools, plain and simple, they have a use that is beneficail to us. But like a screwdriver or hammer, can also be used for illicit purposes. The user needs to be held accountable.

 

[Sootburner]

Be very careful. I believe if the UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) as its now called by the FAA, is over 1/2 pound, it should have a registration number. It is unlawful to fire at U.S registered aircraft. I believe it is a felony.

I'm an airport manager of an airport in Northwest Lower MI. I cannot restrict flight of a UAS right outside the boundary of my airport. This is because the FAA governs all airspace. All the operator of that UAS has to do is notify me. Now, I do have some authority, in that we can pass a city ordinance to restrict the launch of the UAS on City Property.

Just for some more information, reference FAA regulation Part 107. This is the regulatory section in the Federal Aviation Regulations that governs UAS operations.

If I were you, I would contact the local authorities and report the incidents. Give them as much information as possible (Time, direction of flight, color...etc.)

Good luck.

Clickwhoosh

 

[Skychief]

Thanks Clickwoosh. The problem seems to have disappeared. No more drone sightings. :idunno: